Vitamin C for Acne: Does it Help?

Read Next

Vitamin C is one of the vital nutrients which the body needs but cannot produce on its own. Its presence in the body has been associated with a myriad of health benefits that the human body can enjoy.

Like, lowering the risk of chronic diseases, reducing the blood pressure, fighting heart problems, and bringing down the blood uric acid levels. Interestingly, the benefits of having sufficient vitamin C in the body do not end here.

Vitamin C for acne and for boosting skin health are some significant health benefits that make vitamin C an important inclusion in your diet. The vitamin is an essential part of the skin’s defense system.

It can be found in abundance in the outer (epidermis) and on the inner (dermis) layer of the skin.

Vitamin C contains antioxidant properties that can fight cancer. It also boosts the production of collagen in the body, which helps in maintaining the health of the skin. This explains why vitamin C is a crucial ingredient in several antiaging products.

Did You Know!

Vitamin C reduces the biochemical reaction in the body, which is responsible for skin pigmentation. Thus, it is an effective remedy to reduce uneven pigmentation and for brightening of the skin(1).

Vitamin C has properties that can renew the surface of the skin. It increases the production of substances that keep the skin looking firm and young. It can also reduce the appearance of wrinkles and other signs of aging on the skin.

How Does Vitamin C help Acne?

Image:ShutterStock

So, what makes vitamin C an effective treatment against acne? Well, there are two reasons for it. First, it is loaded with skin-nourishing antioxidants, and second, it boosts the collagen synthesis.

When your body is supplemented with vitamin C, it destroys free radicals and turns them into simple compounds. It is these notorious radicals that cause damage to the skin and are often considered to be a leading cause of acne.

Continuous exposure to external toxins and is the exit point of all the internal toxins. The skin is one of the most vulnerable parts of the body. Therefore, it should be protected from the attack of free radicals all the time.

When free radicals are allowed to move freely in the body, they tend to cause harm to the skin by breaking the fatty acids and proteins. This changes in the normal pH levels of the skin and damages the sebaceous glands.

The attack on the skin by free radicals also increases the production of sebum, which makes the skin susceptible to bacteria that cause breakouts. This is when the antioxidants found in vitamin C come to the rescue and transform the damage-causing free radicals into simple compounds.

When the body is attacked by the bacteria that cause acne, in its defense, the body releases anti-inflammatory chemicals calls leukotriene. The job of this chemical is to kill the acne-causing bacteria.

However, these bacteria can use their defense mechanism against the chemical and send it back to the skin, causing the skin to turn red.

But, if your body has been supplemented well with vitamin C, it soothes the immune system instead of provoking it towards the bacteria. Thus, the bacteria inside the pores are killed without any redness on the skin.

Interesting Facts about Vitamin C

The benefits and importance of vitamin C in the body were first discovered over 250 years ago. It was found to be an essential nutrient when its deficiency became the cause of scurvy(2).

Researches have shown that vitamin C can be highly beneficial to give a boost to heart health. It can do so by lowering blood pressure and harmful cholesterol levels. A sufficient supply of vitamin C can also play a vital role in keeping the heart vessels elastic(3).

How to Use Vitamin C for Acne?

Oral consumption of vitamin C has been linked with long term health benefits, though some topical treatments have also been found to give immediate relief also.

It is important to note that vitamin C should always be taken as a supplement treatment to fight acne and not as a primary treatment. Consulting a dermatologist before making any changes is always recommended.

When taken as a supplement, an adult male should take 90mg, and an adult female should stick to a 75mg dosage a day. People who wish to incorporate vitamin C into their diet can add citrus fruits, kale, broccoli, bell peppers, and parsley to their diet.

Can I Use Vitamin C for Acne Scars Too?

Image:ShutterStock

Vitamin C promotes the production of elastin and collagen in the body. These are two of the essential proteins that the body requires for the renewal of the skin.

The absence of these proteins from the body affects the health of the skin drastically. Also, when the body does not have a sufficient supply of vitamin C, it weakens the essential proteins, thus leading to a high probability of acne scars.

Additionally, low vitamin C levels can slow down the healing process of the existing scars. Vitamin C has the properties that make it a sufficient remedy to reduce dark spots. This also means that it can have the same effect on acne scars.

The health benefits of vitamin C are innumerable. Right from boosting immunity to promoting skin health, vitamin C is the wonder nutrient, which is essential for the body. So, incorporate citrus fruits into your diet or get the correct dosage of the supplement. Use any method but make sure that your body is getting enough vitamin C.

The content published in and by HowToCure is peer-reviewed and fact-checked by top global medical and health experts. We also make sure that every piece of vital information is backed by proper science-based research work published in reputable sites, international journals, and educational institutions.

To further understand the standards and quality of our articles, please check our editorial guidelines.

If you feel that any of our content is vague, unclear, or out-of-date, please write to us using the contact us option mentioned at the bottom of the page.

We use cookies & other tools to enhance your experience on our website and to analyze our web traffic.

For more information about these cookies and the data collected, please refer to our Privacy Policy.